Welsh Journals

14 BYE-G0OT1S. Dec, 1871. DINAM (O.A., Oct, 11, 18, 25, Nov. 15, 1871.)— Sllab wanted to know the meaning of the Welsh termina¬ tion Dinam. Four attempts were made to explain its meaning. Three of the writers have evidently confused the adjective Di-nam with the termination Din-am. The writers are evidently not very good Welshmen or they would know that the two words, though spelt the same, are accented differently. The accent in the adjective Dinam being sometimes equal on both syllables, and some¬ times on the last only, for example the couplet quoted by Old Isaac (O.A., Oct. 25.) Os ceir gwr perffaith ar bob cam Mae hwnw 'n ddyn, da lun, di-nam. I wonder why he should presume to change the position of the accent to the first syllable in his translation of the same lines; thus— Find the man without exception, That's the din-am to perfection. ------ Beewyn. A.H.M., Glyn Ceiriog, is informed that Offa's Dyke was con¬ structed in the eighth century, by Offa, king of Mercia, as a line of demarcation, rather than of defence, and extended from the vicinity of Newmarket, Flintshire, to the mouth of the Wye. If he wishes further information he can get it in the Gossiping Guide to Wales, price one shilling. The communication from our Llanymynech correspondent L has been divided, as a portion of it appeared in another part of the A dvertizer last week. That portion forms the subject of a query by A. this week. Oswestry Advertizer, Dec. 8, 1871. NOTES. HERALDIC GRIEVANCE OF WALES.—Wales has laboured under many grievances—such as the impo¬ sition of bishops and county court judges who cannot un¬ derstand the vernacular of the natives, but there is another which to Welsh antiquaries appears in its way of httle less weight. The English Sovereign does not at present quarter the ancient Arms of Wales on her Royal shield. But what is still more strange the Heir apparent, who takes his title from the ancient principality of Wales, does not assume on his escutcheon the ancient princely insignia of Cambria. The ancient arms of Wales, viz., Quarterly 1 and 4 or., 2 and 3 gu., in each quarter a lion pass, guard., all counterchanged, were not always treated with contempt. On the basement of the monument erected by James I. to the memory of Queen Elizabeth in West¬ minster Abbey—which has been designated as being in itself " a complete chapter of Royal Heraldry"—are four shields of arms ; one of this group is Wales, the other three being Ireland, Cornwall, and Chester; thus the arms of the principality have a recognized place with the separate shields of Cornwall and Chester, and also of Ireland. It certainly is a singular circumstance, and a grievance to all Welsh antiquaries and heralds, that the Arms of the principality of Wales should be omitted from the quartered shield of the Prince of Wales. High heraldic authorities hold the opinion that the Arms of Wales should be marshalled in the first quarter of the quartered arms of the Prince of Wales. It must surely only require the matter to be brought under the attention of some of the Magnates of Wales to have this heraldic grievance redressed, and due honour done to our ancient principality. We trust these lines may meet the eyes of Sir Watkin (frequently and not unappropriated called a Prince in Wales), the Earl of Powis, the Earl Vane, and last, though not least, that distinguished and highly- descended Antiquary, Mr Wynne, of Peniarth, and we cannot doubt but that their united representations of the feelings of the Welsh on this subject to their prince, the Prince of Wales, would induce his Royal Highness to do heraldic justice to Wales, by having the ancient arms of the principality duly emblazoned on his shield.—S. OSWESTRY OLD CHURCH.—In Eyton's Antiquities of Shropshire there is a woodcut of this church, from a sketch taken in 1807. I observe that in it the large centre window on the north side has a lancet head. At what period of churchwardenism was this altered to the round-headed abortion that we now have in the building? I remember the late Mr Blake—perhaps the only architect we have ever had in Oswestry who possessed genius—saying that the east window had evidently, at some period or other, been 'restored,' on which occasion churchwardenism must have replaced some of the gothic tracery wrong side up. Then by whose authority was a door cut into a window, and placed close to the chancel, and at what date was the offence perpetrated ? Lastly, does any one remember the wall on the north side of the ' Big Walk' being built ? The row of limes has, evidently, belonged to the churchyard, and, consequently, to the town, at one period of its history, and now that Mr Hill's house is secured for a vicarage, and we are expecting a new resident, let us hope that a wise and judicious restoration of all the rights pertaining to the Old Church is not far distant.—Oswald. MERIONETHSHIRE (O.A., Nov. 22, 1871).— We now continue the ' Sketch of the History of Merioneth¬ shire,' taken by the late Mr Vaughan, in 1795. Llan Egryn hath two townships, Rhyd Ciyw, and Peniarth. Llan Gelynin containeth these townships, Cro- gen (Crygynan)—where are seen the ruins of Caer Brad- wen : this Bradwen was father to Ednowain ap Bradwen, who was one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales,—Mor- fannog, Llwyn, Goryl Bod Gadfan, and tLlan Fendigaid. Dol Gellau hath these townships—D61 Glydair, Cefn-yr- ywen, Deffrydan, Garth Maelan (Garth Gynfawr), Brithdir. The manors of Gwanas and Dolgellau are situate under the great hill Cadair Idris (which for height giveth place to none in Wales except Snowden), in the pleasant little valley between the rivers Aran and Mawr; the river Mowddach (the overflowing stream) ebbeth and floweth within a mile of it, whose banks are much frequented by reason of the herb, Scurvy Grass, which grows there in great abundance. Llan Fachraeth hath only the town¬ ship of Nannau in it. Here is situate the seat of the eminent family of the Nanneys, lineally descended from Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, prince of Powys and ruler of South Wales. In this township is situate the abbey of Cymmer, founded by Meredith and Griffith, Lords of Meirionydd, and the sons of Conan, the son of Owain Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, 1198. Upon a little bank, near this monastery called y Pentre, once stood Castell Cymmer in Meirionydd, which the sons of Cadwgan ap Bleddyn over¬ threw 1113, upon some displeasure conceived against the sons of Uchdrut ap Edwin, who had built the same. The comot or lordship of Mowddwy lieth eastwards, between Tal y Bont and Montgomeryshire. It containeth two parishes—Mallwyd and Llan yn Mowddwy. Mallwyd hath in it these townships—Gartheiniog, Nant y Mynach, Maes Glaseu, Camlan, Gweinion, Mallwyd, Dugoed, Dinas Mowddwy (a little market town) and Keryst. Llan y Mowddwy hath these—Cwm Cenydd, Cowarch, Llanerch Fyda, and Pennant, in which riseth the river Dyfi, and runneth southward to Montgomeryshire. The comot Ardudwy is separated from Tal y Bont by the river Mowddach, and runneth by Giraldus Maori a, and con¬ taineth as many townships as parishes. It is divided into two bailiwicks, Uwch Artro (a river so called) and Is Artro, the latter of which containeth four parishes, viz.,